Tim Furniss
Atlantic Research has released details at the Show of its new Agena 2000 rocket engine for the Lockheed Martin fleet of US Air Force
Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELVs).
The 15,000lb thrust nitrogen tetroxide-monomethyl hydrazine engine will power a storable upper stage that can be fitted as required to
the small, medium and heavy versions of the EELV. Lockheed - and Boeing - expect to receive EELV contracts from the USAF later
this month.
Lockheed's EELV Common Core Booster will be powered by a Russian RD-180 engine and will also use a Centaur cryogenic engine for
high energy missions.
The Agena 2000 - developed with Aerojet - is the latest of a line of engines that have powered hundreds of Agena upper stages for
military and civil missions since February 1959 launch of an Agena A atop a Thor first stage.
ORBIT
This launch placed Discoverer 1 into orbit on a prototype development flight in the now unclassified Corona spy satellite series.
The Agena A, B, C and D versions have been used for more than 360 military flights and have boosted several famous NASA
spacecraft, including Ranger and Lunar Orbiter unmanned moon missions.
The multiple-restart Agena 2000 is an "evolutionary improvement of the original engine", says Atlantic, and uses improved electronics
and components manufactured with more advanced fabrication techniques.
Source: Flight Daily News
